Chinese Sticky Rice Dessert with Dates and Nuts Recipe
Sweet sticky rice with dates and nuts is a simple yet impressive dessert that in China often appears during holidays and family gatherings. The rice is soft and slightly chewy, and the sweetness comes mainly from dried fruit. It’s something between rice pudding and a steamed cake – perfect for cooler days.
This dessert combines the comforting texture of sticky rice with the natural sweetness of dried fruit and the crunch of nuts, without needing a lot of added sugar. Steaming keeps it moist and tender, and the dish is easy to adapt with different fruits, nuts, or spices.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality glutinous or short-grain rice – long-grain rice won’t give the right sticky texture. Don’t skip soaking, as it helps the rice cook evenly and become pleasantly chewy. If you like a more caramelized flavor, you can lightly toast the nuts in a dry pan before adding them.
How to serve
Serve warm as a comforting dessert or sweet snack. It pairs well with green tea or jasmine tea. For a more festive version, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or add a few slices of fresh fruit on top just before serving.
Ingredients
- glutinous rice (sushi rice or short-grain rice) - 250 g
- water for soaking the rice (enough to cover the rice)
- pitted dried dates - 120 g
- walnuts or cashews - 60 g
- sugar amount to taste - 3 tablespoon
- honey optional - 1 tablespoon
- oil for greasing the dish - 1 tablespoon
- salt - 1 pinch
- water for steaming approximate, for the pot - 250 ml
Preparation
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water several times until the water is almost clear. Cover the rice with fresh water so it is completely submerged and leave to soak for at least 1 hour (you can also leave it overnight in the fridge).
- After soaking, drain the rice in a sieve and leave it for a few minutes to drain well.
- Cut the dates into strips or larger cubes. Coarsely chop the nuts.
- Prepare an ovenproof dish or metal bowl that can fit into a pot for steaming. Grease the inside with oil or clarified butter.
- In a bowl, mix the drained rice with sugar, a pinch of salt, half of the dates and half of the nuts. If you are using honey, add it now and mix thoroughly.
- Transfer the rice mixture to the greased dish, pressing lightly with a spoon so the surface is even. Arrange the remaining dates and nuts on top, gently pressing them into the rice.
- Pour water into a large pot (about 2–3 cm high) and bring to a boil. Place the dish with the rice inside. If you don’t have a special steamer insert, you can use an upside-down small bowl or a metal ring as a stand so the dish doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot directly.
- Cover the pot with a lid. Steam over medium heat for 40–45 minutes. If necessary, add a little hot water to the pot if it starts to evaporate.
- After this time, check the rice: it should be soft and slightly sticky, with no hard center. If it is still too firm, steam for another 5–10 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the pot (watch out for the steam) and set aside for 10 minutes so the dessert can cool slightly and set.
- Serve warm, spooning portions of rice with dates and nuts. You can drizzle a little honey on top if you like sweeter desserts.
Storage
Deser przechowuj w lodówce do 3 dni, przykryty folią lub w pojemniku. Podgrzewaj na parze lub w mikrofalówce z odrobiną wody, aby ryż nie wysychał. Możesz też zamrozić porcje do 2 miesięcy – rozmrażaj w lodówce i podgrzej przed podaniem.
